Individual package



Feb. 29, 1944. c. v. NELSON INDIVIDUAL PACKAGE Filed Oprl. 51, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

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Feb. 29, 1944. c. v." NELSON INDIVIDUAL PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 31, 1942 IN VEN TOR.-

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CHRISTIAN V. NELSON Patented Feb. 29, 1944 2,343,222 INDIVIDUALPACKAGE Christian V. Nelson, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to General Mills, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application October 31, 1942, Serial No. 484,061

3 Claims.

An object of this invention is to provide an individual: package or carton which is sufficiently tight to hold a breakfast cereal but which can be readily opened and the contents eaten by means of a spoon after milk has been added.

Another object is the provision of a carton of this type which readily adapts itself to manufacture and at low cost.

These and other objects as will hereinafter appear are accomplished by this invention as fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a blank from which one form of the carton is formed;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the carton in the process of being formed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on the line 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective of the completed carton partially opened for use;

Fig. 5 is a partial enlarged detail of the upper left-hand corner of the blank of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 1 but showing a (iiiferent form of blank:

7 Fig. 7 is a perspective showing the same in process 01 being folded into the form of a carton;

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the same showing the top open for use; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged transverse vertical section on. the line 9 of Fig. '7.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, comprises a blank I having parallel transverse score lines ll, l2 and longitudinal score lines I3, l4, l5, l8 which are not cut but merely serve as bend lines and divide the blank up into a bottom 20, sides 2|, 22, and outer and inner flaps 23, 24.

Shear lines 30, 3|, 32 extending only as far as the score line H sever one end of the blank so as to form flaps 33, 34, 35 and 38, while similar shear lines 40, 4|, 42 form similar fiaps 4'3, 44, 45, 46 on the other end of the blank. The top and sides of the blank are then bent about the longitudinal score lines, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the outer flap 23 overlies the inner flap 24. The end flaps are then bent inwardly and caused to adhere in a well known manner by means of a suitable adhesive, not shown.

Adhesive, preferably in four lines 50, 52, 53, is applied during assembly of the carton blank to the upper surface of the outer flap 23 and this is folded down fiat over the inner flap 24 to which it then adheres along the lines where the glue is applied.

Tear lines 56 are applied to the inner flap 24 to form a panel 51 which has a generally rectangular shape with rounded corners. Tear lines 58 are preferably applied at the four corners for apurpose which will later be described and tear lines 59 are also applied at one end of the panel 24 which are placed opposite a thumb recess 60 in the corresponding end of the outer flap 231 Tear lines 6lextend longitudinally of the outer flap 23 and these are somewhat wider than the panel 51.

In use, the flaps at one end of the package, as shown in Fig. 2, are completely closed and sealed by means ofr suitable adhesive after which the partially closed carton is stood on the closed end and filled through the opposite end with the breakfast food or similar loose'material with which it is desired to fill it. The flaps of this end are then suitably closed by means of adhesive and the carton is then subjected to a suitable coating of wax or the like which completely fills all crevices and openings so as effectually to prevent the ingress or egress of air.

It will be noted that the outer edge of the inner flap 24 is slightly recessed at 62 to provide corners 63 which press firmly into the corresponding corners of the opposite side of the carton blank to prevent leaks about these corners.

When this carton, filled with breakfast food let us say, reaches the consumer, he inserts his thumb nail or a spoon at the notch 60, which insertion is made easier because of the tear lines 59. He then proceeds to pull up on this central flap 65 (Figs. 1 and 4) tearing it loose along the tear lines 6|. At the same time, the lines of adhesive 5|, 52 which secured the panel 51 to the central flap 65 tear the panel loose along the tear lines 56 so that this panel is lifted bodily out of the inner fiap, as shown in Fig. 4. A little additional jerk of the central flap 65 to the right will then cause it to be torn completely free from the top of the carton.

Milk or cream may be then poured into the open top of the carton and sugar added and the contents eaten directly therefrom by means of a spoon.

If desired, the overhanging edges 66, 61, 68 may be lifted by tearing along the comer tear lines 58 and then lifting these edges until they are nearly vertical. This will aid materially in getting the contents out of the carton. Having eaten the contents, the user then throws the carton away.

In Figs. 6 to 9 is shown a modified form of the device in which the bottom I20, sides l2l, I22

and outer and inner fiaps I23, I24 are similarly divided by means of score lines H3, H4, H and H6, while transverse score lines I I I, I I2 separate these parts from the flaps I33, I34, I35 and I316 at one end and from the flaps I43, I44, I45 and I46 at the other end. These fiaps are similarly severed by shear lines I30, I3I, I32 at one end and by similar shear lines I40, I and I42 at the other end.

Similarly, tear lines I56 serve to define a panel I51 in the inner flap I24 but this panel, unlike the panel 51, extends entirely to the edge of the blank while the outer flap I23 has no tear lines and sealed as before and the carton is then waxed as in the first form.

Here again the inner edge of the inner flap I24 is slightly recessed at I62 thereby insuring that the corners I63 will be pushed up into the corresponding flap adjacent the bend line H13, thereby insuring tight corners for this package, particularly where it is adequately waxed.

On opening this carton, the user inserts the point of a knife or a spoon at the notch I60 (Fig. 7) and proceeds to run it all the way around the outer edge of the outer flap I23 from the point where the bend line II3 meets the bend line III on around to the point where the bend line II 3 meets the bend line II2.

The outer flap I23 is preferably provided with three lines of adhesive I50, I5I and I52. The

glue line I5I and I52 contact the panel I51 and secure it firmly to the underside of the outer flap I23 so that when the latter is raised, as

' shown in Fig. 8, it will draw the panel I51 ,up

Changes, therefore, may be made which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim as my-invention:

1., A single use package and service receptacle of generally rectangular formation having overlapping fiaps defining one side wall thereof and each of said fiaps being substantially coextensive with said wall to provide a two-ply wall structure, opposite side edge portions of said fiaps being secured by a line of adhesive from end to end of .said flaps, the inner fiap having a continuous tear line defining a removable panel inwardly spaced from the secured edge portions of the fiap, further lines of adhesive extending between the secured edges of the flaps and inwardly spaced therefrom for securing the panel of the inner flap to the inner side of the outer flap, and providing two parallel coinciding unsecured strip portions of the inner and outer flaps, and said outer fiap having weakened parallel score lines in the unsecured strip portions thereof oflset from the tear lines of the inner flap, whereby the outer fiap and panel may be removed as a unit from the package in providing a service receptacle.

2. A single use package and service receptacle of generally rectangular formation having overlapping flaps defining one side wall thereof and each of said fiaps being substantially coextensive with said wall to provide a two-ply wall struct'urepopposlte side edge portions of the said fiaps being secured by a line of adhesive from end to end of said flaps, the inner flap having a continuous tear line defining a removable panel inwardly spaced from the secured edge portions of the flap, a further line of adhesive extending between the secured edges of the flaps and securing the panel of the inner flap to the inner side of the outer flap whereby the outer fiap and panel may be removed as a unit, and other tear lines extending from the corners of the inner flap and intersecting the tear lines defining the removable panel, whereby when said removable panel is removed the remaining marginal portions of the inner fiap may be folded at substantially right angles to the normal plane of the flap to provide a service receptacle.

3. In a single use container of generally rectangular formation having a pair of superposed flaps defining a two-ply access wall thereof, said flaps being substantially coextensive with said wall and having spaced lines of securement adjacent opposite edges thereof and extending throughout the length of said edges, score lines in the outer flap between said lines of securement, a continuous tear line in the inner flap within the margins of the score lines in the outer flap and defining a removable panel, means securing said panel to the outer fiap between the score lines thereof whereby upon removal of the portion of the outer flap between the score lines the panel portion of the inner flap may be removed as a unit therewith, tear lines also ex tending from the corners of the inner flap and intersecting the tear lines defining the removable panel, and a coating of wax enclosing the package.

CHRISTIAN V. NELSON. 

